What's the best tube head I can buy?

[tonayhee]

Hello everyone, I am looking to buy a new/slightly used tube head in the next few weeks. I have been playing transtube far too long and need to make the jump to the next level. I play in 3 bands all of various genres (one progressive rock ie enemies meets brand new, another experimental progressive rock band ie russian circles meets don caballero and another experimental hardcore ie botch meets defeater), so essentially i need a head that has a whole lot of variety, mainly a glassy, lush clean and also able to have a crushing yet legible distortion. Think circa survive clean and early the red chord distortion. I play a paul reed smith custom 22 and use a boss dd3 delay and a digitech jamman loop station. I have a few ideas in mind but i figured id ask my fellow sluts what they think. I appreciate any info or thoughts on this matter, as i have more knowledge a guitars and very little knowledge of amplification.

Thanks for your thoughts!
-Mat in Worcester, MA

[Core]

Orange Rockerverb 50

[axlepaas]

+1 for Rockerverb 50

It's one of the only amps I own that can do really clean and also do a great rock distortion. It does those 2 different sounds really well.

[muziekschuur]

Rivera Knucklehead.

[Faceripper]

Used to use a 5150 when my style was more progressive/jazzy rock. Great cleans, and leads that really cut through a dense mix.

Only got rid of it because it's just not the amp for death metal and B) it just didn't fit my lifestyle/recording style anymore.

I currently use a little Vox practice amp, VT40+. Clean is awesome, death metal chunk is exactly what I need. Lead sound?

Eh, doesn't stand up as well as the 5150 did. It was a trade. Gotta make sacrifices as a poor musician. :(

[Igotsoul4u]

HIWATT!

[Thrustin]

A 100 watt DSL will do much of what you want very well.

[frans]

Originally Posted by Igotsoul4u

HIWATT!

As much as I love my Hiwatt it's too much hassle for what he aims at. Too much power, only one channel. Ever considered a Diezel? Versatile, if you got that much money.

DIEZEL Guitar Amplification: welcome to Diezel Amplification

[FFTT]

I agree Vintage Hiwatt or U.S. built Reeves.

The Reeves DR-504 is a true two channel Hiwatt circuit
that can be jumpered for extra gain.

Reeves also offers the Super 78 and Custom Jimmy.

If you are thinking classic Fender tones, the Gries 35 is essentially
a Vibrolux Reverb circuit.

For Marshall tones and Vox Tones, Bad Cat, Reinhardt or Friedman

[wesarvin]

Bogner Ecstasy 101a.

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/gears...alf-stack.html

[blueflamingo]

soldano avenger

[Diezel Support]

Definitely Diezel VH4, Diezel Herbert or the brand new Diezel Hagen ! All 3 amps are fully Midi controllable and can produce tones from Vintage to modern. You won't regret the investment !

[django]

Originally Posted by frans

As much as I love my Hiwatt it's too much hassle for what he aims at. Too much power, only one channel. Ever considered a Diezel? Versatile, if you got that much money.

DIEZEL Guitar Amplification: welcome to Diezel Amplification

duel channel amps are eww. get a decent single channel and a nice distortion pedal!

[777Artin]

Before buying an amp........ask to open it first to check how it's done. I passed on an Orange amp that way. It was build like a 59$ Wal-Mart VHS video recorder. Even the guy at the store was amazed at how it's badly build.

Orange Custom shop on the other hand look good.

At the end..........anything handwired should be good for years.

[FFTT]

If I wanted reasonable grab and go convenience and great club worthy
versatility, I'd find a Silver Face Fender Vibrolux Reverb or a Super.

In new amps with Black Face Fender voicing and superior build quality,
I'd look at the Gries 35 and for Marshall tones, his JTM 45 build.
Both available in head or combo.

For a more complex multi-voice channel switcher, you might also
look at the PWE Event Horizon 50 watter.

For a rock solid touring foundation amp, I'd still go for a Reeves or vintage
Hiwatt.

[drumdrum]

Originally Posted by Thrustin

A 100 watt DSL will do much of what you want very well.

+1....though I'd get the 50W version if I were you. I have the 100W version and while its fantastic, its just too loud to record the tubes pushed in a home studio situation.

Great sound though...

[alexamk]

Bogner Ecstacy 101

[wesarvin]

Originally Posted by alexamk

Bogner Ecstacy 101

I can get ya a nice one

[Gary Ladd]

If I only had to choose one head, it would be a Mesa Roadster...

Uh now, errr, I meant VHT Deliverance 120 ~ BOING!

[FFTT]

I'd go for a Suhr PT100 over the Bogner stuff.

[Musiclab]

I'd also look at the Randall RM 100 series, you pick the tone you want and you have the versatility of 3 different channels you you can configure any way you want, by what module you decide on. I A/Bed it with the Orange and the Randall blew it away. Egnater amps are also really versatile and sound great once you dial them in, BUT they have reliability issues, like power transformers. I'm on my 3rd power transformer with my Tourmaster combo.

[drbob1]

Wow, the best amp ever? You know, there're Dumble heads out there for only $50k...

Seriously, there are a lot of amps that'll do clean and high gain, and a few that'll also do crunch. But the character of the high gain is different so you're going to have to try things out to see what you like. I've owned:
Mesa Mk 1,2,3,4 and Tremoverb: they need to be cranked to sound good, they have a granular kind of distortion that's not my favorite, but a lot of folks like them.
Marshall 6100-all the PCB, channel switching Marshalls are suspect durability wise to me. I'd stick with an older one and use pedals. Much smoother OD than the Mesas.
Randall Modular: not a big fan, heavy and broke down, sound great. Maybe the Egnator version if you can afford it?
Peavey 5150: first version, unusably noisy
H&K Triamp: great sound, hard to find
Trace Elliott Trident: also sound great and very hard to find. My son gigged one doing hardcore basement shows for 4 years, with minimal maintenance.
Fender "Evil" Twin: got a friend who swears by these things. LOUD. Weird distortion sound to my ears.
Wizard/Orange/Hiwatt: the handwired ones are REALLY good, really loud and hit really hard. If I were looking for the ultimate hard rock amp to gig, it'd probably be a Wizard Modern Metal. Just finding one is really hard.

[3waytie4last]

If you are really multi-purposeness and Don Caballero-bent, only a Fender amp will do. No way you can get that glassiness from any of the heavy British amps.

[ian.van]

hey mat welcome to the lifelong quest to tone....


do you have a budget in mind? honestly...in my opinion.... ive found VERY few amps that can do EVERYTHING amazing.... most will do alot of genres...pretty well. but alot of amps do ONE thing/type of tone VERY VERY well.. do you put a priority on highgain tones? or clean tones? mid gain with agood clean? or mid gain with a good high gain?

i say get youself 2 amp rig, ill never turn back. i have a 70s twin reverb,Komet Concorde, Sunn 200ts, splawn promod, first edition 5150 (which is dead silent btw, moreso then my engl powerball was).... and honestly i wouldnt use just one of any of them for 3 bands.


if one amp is a must, or preferred, and youd like a commonly available amp, i definitly say grab a rockerverb or a splawn , and when you decide the clean isnt luscious enough. grab yourself a dedicated clean amp (fender)

VHTs are GREAT... but to me a little un inspiring. almost too tight...ALMOST

or if budget allows, get yourself a bogner xtc. imho the only single amp that can do everything well





good luck


p.s i have a studio right outside worcester and constantly record with all the amps i just mentioned if youd like any clips

[cdog]

VHT, Soldano, Mesa

Take your pick!